Baltimore- UMBC closed out the second half on a 22-8 run and
sent the game to overtime, but the visiting Rider Broncs prevailed
in the extra session, 73-66, at the RAC Arena.
UMBC sophomore forward Chase Plummer
(Plainfield, N.J.) posted a double-double for the third consecutive
game, scoring a career high 22 points and adding 11 rebounds, as
the Retrievers manhandled Rider on the glass, 53-33. Junior wing Brian Neller
(Red Bank, N.J.) was the only other Retriever in double figures
with 19 points.
Rider (2-10) reserve wing shared game-high honors with Plummer
with 22 points, while senior forward Brandon Penn added 20 for the
visitors.
It took UMBC 33 minutes to solve the Rider 2-3 zone defense as
they trailed, 54-40, with 7:10 to play. The Retrievers were still
behind, 60-51, with 3:31 to play when Plummer hit a
layup. He converted the first of two free throws with 1:40 to play,
but sophomore guard Quentin Jones
(Ellicott City, Md./Mount St. Joseph) snuck in and grabbed the
offensive carom, took a return feed from Neller and buried a trey
from the corner to bring the Retrievers to within 60-57 with 1:36
to play.
After Rider's Eddie Mitchell missed two free throws, Plummer hit
a driving layup down the lane and converted the ensuing free throw
to knot the game at 60-all with 47 seconds left.
Jones hit a tough fall-away jumper to give the visitors a 62-60
lead with 13.6 seconds left, but Rider guard Jonathon Thompson
fouled Neller on a three-point attempt with 5.6 seconds to play.
Neller, an 82 percent free throw shooter on the season, missed the
first, but made the remaining two to send the contest to
overtime.
UMBC (1-9) took its only lead of the night on a pair of Jamar Wertz
(Norfolk, Va.) free throws in the first minute of overtime, but
Rider hit four free throws on its next two possessions to reclaim
the lead. After a Neller miss from behind the arc, Thompson would
counter with a made three to give the Broncs a 69-64 lead with 1:21
to play.
Plummer hit two free throws with 1:01 left, and Rider was called
for travelling on its next possession. After a UMBC time-out,
Neller's 30-footer was short of the mark with 21 seconds left and
Jones and Penn hit four straight free throws in the final 17
seconds to seal the victory.
UMBC is now 0-5 vs. non-conference opponents in overtime since
2003-04. The Retrievers are 7-1 in extra time against league foes
in that same span.
Rider led, 25-19, at the break as UMBC hit only 8 of 36 shots
(22.2 percent) in the first 20 minutes. After recovering to hit 15
of 32 in the second half, the Retrievers missed all eight efforts
in overtime and were 23 of 76 (30.3 percent) for the game. Rider
converted 26 of 52 attempts (50 percent) for the game.
UMBC corralled a remarkable 31 offensive rebounds, as four
players- Plummer, Neller, Wertz, and senior post Jake Wasco
(Philadelphia, Pa.) all had five. But the 31 rebounds only resulted
in 19 second-chance points.
Plummer became the first Retriever to record three consecutive
double-doubles since Darryl Proctor did so in March of 2009.
UMBC meets 20th-ranked Indiana in Bloomington, Ind.
on Dec. 22.
